The present invention relates to a solidifying disposal system for radioactive waste and, more particularly, to a disposal system for charging and solidifying the radioactive waste in a thin-walled vessel of an inorganic material such as polymer-impregnated concrete (abbreviation PIC).
The specification of co-pending Japanese Patent Application No. 48651/1982 discloses a radioactive waste disposal method for charging and solidifying radioactive waste together with a solidifier in a thin-walled container of an inorganic material. This method consists of a process basically having the steps of charging the radioactive waste pellets into the container, charging the solidifier into the waste pellets in the container, closing a container cap, conducting a post-filling and sealing the container. The term "post-filling" is used here to mean a step in which the solidifier is further charged to the upper side of the container cap after the capping of the container thereby to seal and solidify the space on the container cap. According to this method, it is possible to obtain, by a suitable combination of the container and the solidified content, a solidified radioactive waste pack having superior properties such as strength, waterproofness, anti-swelling property and long-term weather resistance, and also to incrase the waste charging efficiency. The invention of the above-mentioned application, however, is not making any practical approach to a system for carrying out the above-described basic process.
For satisfactorily carrying out the basic process mentioned above, it is necessary to fulfill the following requirements.
(1) To maintain the accuracy of measurement of the waste pellets to be charged in the vessel.
(2) To maintain the permeability of the solidifier into the voids among the waste pellets charged in the container.
(3) To adequately and efficiently conduct the charging of the solidifier into the container, as well as the post-filling.
(4) To adequately and effectively cap the container after charging of the waste and solidifier into the container.
(5) To realize the solidifying disposal in accordance with the basic process with minimal equipment and minimal installation space.
(6) To prevent the diffusion of the radioactive dusts into atmosphere during charging of the radioactive waste.